UC Hastings Alumni Begin New Judgeships

Numerous UC Hastings alumni were among the 30 year-end judicial appointments made in California by Gov. Jerry Brown in late 2012 and early 2013. They serve around the state.

The new judges are:

Patrick A. Cathcart ‘75, Los Angeles County Superior Court. Cathcart, 67, of Pasadena, has served as a shareholder at Alvarado Smith APC since 2008. He was a partner at Cathcart Collins LLP from 2005 to 2008 and a partner at Hancock Rothert and Bunshoft LLP from 1979 to 2005. Cathcart was an associate at Morrison and Foerster LLP from 1977 to 1979 and a law clerk for Judge Spencer Williams, United States District Court for the Northern District of California from 1975 to 1977. Cathcart earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Judith L. Champagne. Cathcart is a Democrat.

Kimberly Colwell ‘84, Alameda County Superior Court. Colwell, 54, of Berkeley, has served as a shareholder and head of the litigation group at Meyers Nave Riback Silver and Wilson since 2002. She was a partner at the Law Offices of Bertrand Fox Elliot and Colwell from 1990 to 2002 and an attorney at Eskanos and Adler PC from 1987 to 1989. Colwell earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Linfield College. She fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on June 27, 2012. Colwell is a Democrat.

Brendan P. Conroy ‘84, San Francisco Superior Court.
Conroy, 56, of San Francisco, has been an attorney at the Law Offices of Brendan Conroy since 1992. He served as a senior trial attorney at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office from 1987 to 1991 and as a trial attorney at the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office in 1987. Conroy was an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Craig Harris Collins from 1984 to 1987. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, San Francisco. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mary C. Morgan. Conroy is a Democrat.

Annabelle Cortez ‘95, Los Angeles County Superior Court. Cortez, 43, of Glendale, has been an attorney at the Administrative Office of the Courts since 2007. She worked as western regional counsel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund in 2007. Cortez served in multiple positions at Marcos Camacho Law Corporation from 1995 to 2007, including managing attorney, attorney and law clerk. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego. Cortez fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John P. Shook. Cortez is a Democrat.

Alyson Huber ‘99, Sacramento County Superior Court.
Huber, 40, of El Dorado Hills, served as an assemblymember for the 10th District of the State of California from 2008 to 2012. She was an associate at Bartko Zankel Tarrant and Miller from 2003 to 2008 and an associate at Oppenheimer Wolff and Donnelly LLP from 2000 to 2003. Huber was an associate at Phillips and Spallas LLP from 1999 to 2000. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University. She fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on March 19, 2012. Huber is a Democrat.

Brad Seligman ‘78, Alameda County Superior Court.
Seligman, 61, of Berkeley, has served as senior counsel at the Impact Fund since 2011, where he served as executive director from 1992 to 2010. He was of counsel at Lewis Feinberg Lee Renaker and Jackson PC from 2010 to 2012 and a litigation advisor at the Disabilities Rights Education and Defense Fund from 1992 to 1999. Seligman served in multiple positions at Saperstein Seligman Mayeda and Larkin from 1981 to 1994, including of counsel, partner and associate. He was a senior law clerk for Judge Lawrence K. Karlton from 1979 to 1980 and a teaching fellow at Stanford Law School from 1978 to 1979. Seligman earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Sonoma State University. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on June 27, 2012. Seligman is a Democrat.

Mark Talamantes ‘95, Marin County Superior Court. Talamantes, 46, of Tiburon, has been a managing partner at Talamantes Villegas Carrera LLP since 2004. He was a partner at Talamantes and Villegas from 2001 to 2004 and a founding partner at the Law Offices of Mark Talamantes from 1998 to 2001. Talamantes was an associate at Brooke Oliver and Associates from 1997 to 1998. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech University. Talamantes fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on July 1, 2011. Talamantes is a Democrat.

Additionally, Gov. Brown reappointed Don Miles ’74 to another term on the State Bar Court of California. Miles, 63, of Pasadena, has been appointed to the State Bar Court of California, where he has served since 2007. Miles was an attorney and partner at Ropers Majeski Kohn and Bentley PC from 2004 to 2007 and was an attorney and director at Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk and Rabkin PC from 1987 to 2004. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $163,274. Miles is a Democrat.

In Hawaii, Dean Ochiai ’80 was named to the Hawaii First Circuit Court. Ochiai, 57, will fill a vacancy left by Judge Richard Pollack, who became Associate Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court. Ochiai’s appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

Prior to being a judge, Ochiai was vice president and managing attorney for the First Insurance Company of Hawaii, Ltd. from 1991 to 2011 and senior trial attorney for the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Corporation Counsel from 1988 to 1991. Ochiai also worked as an associate attorney for Damon Key Char and Bocken from 1984 to 1988 and Honolulu deputy prosecuting attorney from 1981 to 1984.

In 2004, Judge Ochiai was appointed to the Hawaii Supreme Court Attorneys Disciplinary Board, which is responsible for conducting hearings on attorney disciplinary complaints, fact-finding, and recommending sanctions, if applicable, to the Hawaii Supreme Court. In 2007, he was appointed to the board’s executive committee.

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